This invention relates generally to providing messages to clients in multicast networks.
A multicast network may enable messages to be sent to target groups of clients that constitute a subset of all of the networked clients. Generally, multicasting is accomplished by including, within a header for example, the addresses of all the subject clients that are addressed. Including a large number of addresses with a packet has the distinct disadvantage that the message size can become very enlarged in networks with many clients. In particularly large networks, such as those that have nationwide coverage, the bandwidth of the network may be adversely affected by the need to include, within the message, addresses for a large subset of the clients on the network.
Thus, there is a need for ways to address a subset of clients within a network in a bandwidth efficient fashion.
In some cases, a given client may receive a variety of different types of messages. As one example, it may be desirable to transmit software updates (that update the software on a group of clients) through a multicast network system. Thus, each client may receive conventional messages as well as software updates. Conventionally, there is no way for the client that receives a message to immediately determine what to do with the message.
Thus, there is a need for a way to enable network clients to better handle diverse types of messages that may be received by the client.